Weight: 530g / 1.8in width / 2Bliss tubeless / Centre compound: 65a / Shoulder compound: 55a
Contact: www.specialized.com

This tyre is only available in a 1.8in width, but if you’ve discounted it as being too narrow — think again. The 1.8in width is actually only across the carcass; measure across the tread and it’s actually spot-on 2in, which makes it comparable to the 2.1in Maxxis High Roller, to which the Sauserwind bears a certain similarity.
For trail-centre use this is a great tyre. The bevelled leading edge of the main paddles combine with a high concentration of knobs on the central ridge of the tyre to make it a tyre that rolls well on hard-packed trails. The square back edge of the knobs is designed to improve braking performance and does a reasonable job — a narrow tyre is never going to slow down as well as a wider downhill tyre, but the Sauserwind is easy to control without skidding.
The shoulder tread is considerably better than that found on most cross-country tyres and on the berms and hardpacked turns you typically find at trail centres and on summer singletrack, they hook up very well.
We ran the Sauserwinds without tubes, using Stan’s sealant to prevent punctures and help seat the tyres. In three months we only had one hairy moment — a rock caused a small nick in the sidewall that just wouldn’t seal. Adding more sealant got the hole to seal eventually and, touch wood, we’ve had no problems since. Initially, getting the tyres to seat was surprisingly easy too.
All in all this is an excellent tyre, suitable for any trails that aren’t prone to getting too muddy, and at a great price too — a worthy rival to the Maxxis High Roller.

MBR RATING: 9/10